LHC team and Stephen Hawking scoop physics prizes

11 December 2012

Professor Sir Peter Knight, President of the Institute of Physics (IOP), has commented on news that two $3,000,000 special Fundamental Physics Prizes have been awarded to a team of seven scientists who have led efforts at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and, separately, to Stephen Hawking for his discovery of Hawking radiation from black holes.

He said, “It’s great to see the LHC project get the recognition it deserves. The Large Hadron Collider is a ground-breaking technological achievement that has already delivered era-defining scientific results. Having started with the Higgs-like particle, LHC is sure to continue in its trailblazing endeavours.

“These two awards highlight how strong a role British physicists play on the world stage. From the three British-based physicists leading efforts at LHC – Lyn Evans, Michel Della Negra and Tejinder Singh Virdee – to Stephen Hawking, we should rightly cherish our nation’s strength in physics.”